Wake Me In the Morning Chapter 3

bad dreams and morning light

“Follow my light with your eyes.” The doctor’s words sounded rehearsed.

“I can’t do it; the light hurts my head, too much, for one day.” I slurred, while my stomach churned. “I’m going to be sick.”

“The nurse will be right back. She will give you something for the pain and nausea. Once you get your shot you’re, free to go.” I wanted to smile, but my head hurt too bad. He definitely didn’t want to be here.

Like clockwork, the nurse walked in. The ER doctor left, and the nurse looked at Greg. “You are driving her home, right? Because in about ten minutes she’ll be out like a light.”

I nodded toward Greg. “He’ll get me wherever I need to go,” and just like that the nurse left. I tried to visualize my pale skin in County Orange, a terrible color for a redhead, besides he attacked me in my own home.

“So where to, Lindsey's?” Greg asks me with command.

“Have I told you, I love your on-duty voice.” I could feel my cheeks blooming as I smiled.

“You know, it’s the only voice I have, don’t you?” He gently took my hand to help me to my feet.

Playfully I looked up at him. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Come on, let’s get out of here.” His smile lets me know that everything would be alright. I leaned against him, and he led me to his car.

The very next thing I remember Linsey and Greg tucking me in her spare bed. I’ve had that ER cocktail before. I looked forward to the long siesta it provided. Mindless sleep is just what I needed.

I laid my head on the pillow and closed my eyes lazy swirls of color consumed me in darkness. A rainbow of spinning shades greeted me. Darkness, sad and lonely, loomed over me. I could feel the toasty blanket around me, yet, I shivered from the cold. A black, icy void that filled my senses with dread. 

A sad, distant melody blended with the dark. I could feel the medicines effect under its weight, I could not move. In the back of my mind, I could spy a looming shadow. I concentrated on the image.  The swirling colors of light faded, and the darkness intertwined with dark plums and midnight blues. They masked the shadow in the corner of my mind.

Like a prop in a play, my mind kept moving toward the dark shadow. It stretched out and grew with my imagination. In the distance, I could hear the ringing of the phone. I fought this slumber that I might free myself, but soon silence engulfed me once more. I laid frozen in time trapped in my imagination.

“How odd is that,” I mumbled as I sat up trying to open my eyes.  I should have slept all night and half the next day. I let out a long slow sigh. A mixture of annoyance, pain, and confusion waxed over me. My weighted arm slowly lifted. I found no strength in my hand as I gingerly rubbed the back of my neck and traced over the stitches on the top of my head.

I fought to open my eyes. In a stupor, my head swam in a dark purple sea. Gently I shook my head and forced my eyes open. The room void of light even out the window nothing but darkness. The neighboring lights were gone. “A power outage,” I waved my hand in front of my face. I felt disconnected; I could see no movement.

“Lindsey.” I called out, but nothing, “Greg!” I felt so alone. “Hello, Greg, Lindsey?” 

The faint smell of smoke met me in the darkness. Not the powerful stench of a house fire or even a fireplace, but that of a fine smoke. I glanced around, I could see nothing, but the room held another.  “Hello.” My voice sounded like a child. I searched for the glow of a cigarette. The darkness revealed nothing to me. I tried to stand, but my legs would not hold me. “Greg,” I whispered. “Sweetheart are you here?” I almost choked trying to swallow. Fear locked down my voice, and no more words would come. One more time I tried to stand and in the corner a shadow emerged. Black on black, but there it loomed with swirls of gray smoke fastened about it.

The hairs on my arm stood up, as all the air in my lungs came bursting out in a scream. The scream went unanswered. Only the darkness of the night held the secret. The smoke thickened, I wasn’t sure I could find the door in this present darkness, but I needed ventilation. It began to choke me, my cough like consumption overwhelmed me. I stumbled across the floor, the smell of the cigarette filled my memory of what had happened earlier tonight, I shuddered.

I found the wall, the doorframe, then the hinge to the bathroom door. I kept feeling around. I found the doorknob a sense of relief steadied me. At least I could put some water on my face.

I laid hold of the doorknob when I did a cold hand gripped mine. I cried in pain thinking my fingers would break. I tried to pull free. Instinctively I turned in the direction of my captor, and his unnatural stare met me.

“No!” I screamed. “It can’t be. You’re dead!” 

He held my hand tightly. The smoke still growing ever-thicker. Again, I began to choke. Tears burned my eyes. I could not look away from his gaze.

“If I’m going to hell. You are going with me.” He spouted. Wild fear consumed me. I began to scream.

“Wake up, you’re having a nightmare.”  Lindsey pleaded as she shook my shoulders. My eyes flung opened I latched hold of my dear friend and cried.

     

Reviews

[Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn..]

traumatic events of life can often invade our sleep as dreams that seem more real than reality itself ... I suspect she will have this dream in some reoccurring fashion for a long time to come ... I look forward to finding out the direction her life will take from here ... Well done ...

Marv